Jane Muir

Jane Muir was born in Surrey in 1966 and pursued her passion for ceramics through a dedicated art education. She earned a First Class BA (Hons) from the Central School of Art & Design before completing an MA at the Royal College of Art in 1992. Since graduating, she has worked full time as a ceramicist, establishing a studio in Peckham, South London, where she continues to create her distinctive ceramic sculptures. Her background in illustration and design informed her early approach, but it is her playful imagination, infused into every hand-built figure, that has defined her career. Today, Jane is recognised as one of Britain’s leading contemporary ceramicists, celebrated for her wit and individuality.

Since leaving the RCA in 1992, Jane’s work has been widely exhibited across the UK and internationally. She has been part of major national showcases, including the V&A’s Ceramic Contemporaries exhibitions, and her pieces have travelled to galleries across Europe, the United States, and Japan. She has presented numerous solo exhibitions over three decades, including shows at Beaux Arts in Bath, Cornwall Contemporary, Foss Fine Art in London, and Sarah Wiseman Gallery. In 1997, she was awarded a Crafts Council Setting-Up Grant, which enabled her to establish the foundation for her current studio practice. Jane’s work has consistently attracted the attention of collectors, curators, and critics alike, and it remains highly sought after for its unique mix of humour, texture, and charm.

Jane Muir’s figures are hand-built in ceramic stoneware and carefully hand-decorated, embodying what she describes as a witty and uncluttered observation of the world. Her characters are often playful and surreal, sometimes with birds perched on heads or whimsical floral motifs that add light-hearted touches to their presence. Each piece reflects her ability to capture the humanity of everyday life while leaving space for viewers to project their own interpretations. She uses a distinctive palette of soft glazes that allow the texture of the clay to remain visible, giving the sculptures a chalky, tactile quality. The result is work that balances simplicity with individuality, creating pieces that feel warm, imaginative, and instantly recognisable as her own.